


The Necklace

by PepperidgeFarmRemembers



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:21:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,326
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26955757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PepperidgeFarmRemembers/pseuds/PepperidgeFarmRemembers
Summary: Katara loses her necklace, prompting Aang to help her find it. Aang becomes confused and surprised at what he finds, forcing him to figure out what it means. Kataang fluff.This is a collaborate fic between myself and NotJohnny.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

"It's so freeing, it's beautiful in a way, to have a great failure, there's nowhere to go but up."

― David Lynch

The shiny, silk slipped through his sweaty palms as he struggled to grasp it tightly. Sweating as he stood at the rung on the balcony of the Jasmine Dragon, he waited with bated breath. Upon seeing her, the love of his life, his heart began to race. "This is it, Oh Spirits," he thought. His mouth went dry as she glided near him, her beautiful eyes locked on his. He willed his mind to be brought to the present, to return to what he's here to do. "Hey, Katara, how was the market?" he asked with a big grin and enthusiastic wave. The young waterbender smiled as she closed the distance between them, "Oh, it was okay. I got everything I wanted but I'm still trying to get used to everyone staring wherever I go." She took a pause and continued, her brows furrowed, "So, Aang, what was so important you needed to meet me here? Is everything okay?"

Aang silently chuckled to himself as he realized his plan was going well. The airbender had enlisted the help of Sokka to inform her that Aang needed to speak to Iroh urgently and to meet him at the Jasmine Dragon after her shopping trip. He smiled as he thought about their first kiss as a couple in this very spot. It was the moment that made Katara's feelings for him known and real. It was one of his most cherished and important memories. Now he wanted to use this balcony as a chance to make his feelings known. He wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and he couldn't wait any longer.

He smiled weakly, "Uh, yeah. Actually Katara," he swallowed the lump in his throat, "I wanted to say that, since you found me in the iceberg, I've never wanted to leave your side. Whenever I get angry or sad, you help me feel better. You always know what to say and tell me the truth, even if I don't want to hear it sometimes. You challenge me to be my best self, for which I'm forever grateful. From the day I opened my eyes and saw your face, it's only ever been you. I want to wake up next to you for the rest of my life. I can't imagine my life without you."

The pregnant pause and startled look on Katara's face shot a pang through Aang's heart. Even though it was only a few seconds, the silence was painful. Then, her eyes began to well with tears, but the incandescent smile on her face was something he had only seen a handful of times. He remembered seeing it when she brought him back after being shot down by Azula, and when he woke up after being unconscious for weeks. The knots in his stomach lessened slightly, but they were still there as she had not responded yet.

"Aang," she choked with a gasp, "What..what are you.." She couldn't form words in these moments as she looked helplessly to Aang to continue. "Katara, will you marry me?" He shyly smiled while leaning over to unfurl and present his handcrafted betrothal necklace in the palms of his hands. Her blue eyes reflected the sapphire pendant with symbols for air and water engraved onto it. Katara jumped and emitted a squeal as she tightly hugged Aang. Tears were falling from her cheeks as they stained his robes. After giving her a few seconds to cry into his shoulder, he knew he had to ask for clarity sake.

"So, is that a yes?" Her laugh reverabated into his shoulder as she pulled back to look at him. Her smile was infectious, causing him to smile widely as well. "Yes! Yes, Aang, I would love to marry you," she chuckled. She picked up the delicate necklace in her hands, running her fingers across the smooth ribbon. She lifted up her hair as he clasped it around her neck. "Oh, Aang, I love it!" He wrapped his arms around her waist as he gently kissed her lips. He pulled away an inch to murmur quietly, "I love you." She spoke softly through kisses, "I love you, too."

Present Day

"Katara, are you okay?" Aang asked in an urgent cry as he ran over to her. She was on the ground outside the palace of Omashu after being stunned by a blast of fire. Ozai sympathizers had infiltrated and attacked during a council meeting wherein talks about uniting the nations were being held. Kneeling down, he searched her face and body for any sign of life. His mind told him something was off but in the frenzy he shook that thought away to make sure she was alive. He saw she was breathing but her eyes were closed. Katara was the first of the council members to counter attack. She successfully took down several assailants with quick tenacity. Slowly, Katara's eyes fluttered open and Aang released a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Oh, Katara, I'm so glad you're okay!" Aang beamed, cradling her in his lap. She looked exhausted but smiled as her eyes met his. "Mmm, I'm okay, Aang. No need to worry," she chuckled as she pushed herself to stand up. When he stood up, the unease he had felt a few minutes prior had returned as he looked at Katara. Her neck was bare. He searched his mind for evidence that he had seen the necklace before the attack, but he couldn't. Actually, he realized he hadn't noticed it when he was greeting her this morning before the meeting. Today was his first day seeing Katara in a week since his recent squelching of an uprising in the Fire Nation. He decided to just ask her because he was unsure and might have just remembered it wrong.

"I know I don't need to worry, but I still do," he smiled before asking, "So, uh, I guess one of your attackers took your necklace in the fight, huh?" Aang didn't know what he had expected but it wasn't the nervous look on her face. "Aang," she sighed with defeat in her eyes, "Let me explain. I lost it shortly after you left last week and I was going to tell you after the meeting but then things got crazy. I'm so sorry, Aang." He felt a knot in his stomach at the guilty look on her face. She looked like she might cry which caused his heart to sink. "Katara, I don't care that you lost it. I made the necklace for you. Air Nomads don't use symbols for marriages, just vows. Maybe I can help you look, where do you last remember wearing it?"

Katara smiled finally, embracing Aang tightly before pulling back, "I'm so glad you're not mad, Aang." She furrowed her brow and stated, "Hmmm, I last remember seeing it in the mirror in a shop in Ba Sing Se. Shortly after that, I went on the ship with Sokka and Suki to their place on Kyoshi Island. I didn't realize it was gone until we landed on Kyoshi Island. We tried our best to look for it but without Appa and being in constant meetings, I never found enough time to go back to Ba Sing Se. I figured we'd look when you got back." She hung her head but quickly, her chin was being raised to eye level by Aang's hand. "Don't worry about it, we can go to Ba Sing Se and look now."

After a few hours of traveling and looking through shops, Aang and Katara were becoming exhausted. Aang persuaded Katara to go rest at the Jasmine Dragon since she was attacked earlier in the day. He made sure she was alright in the tea shop before continuing his search on his own. A few shops into his solo investigation, he stumbled upon Katara's necklace in a jewelry shop in the Upper Ring.

Letting out a sigh of relief, he smiled as he went to the store clerk in the hope to explain the situation and get the necklace back. The clerk was excited to see the Avatar and was more than happy to have other customers see him in her shop. She spoke before he got a chance, "Oh, Avatar Aang, that is a wonderful purchase! It just came in last week. Some girl said it didn't mean anything to her and just wanted whatever she could get for it. Can you believe it? Such a shame, it really is rare and beautiful."

Aang's stomach twisted into a knot after hearing her story. "Did you say a girl brought it in?" The clerk looked confused but clarified, "Yeah, she ran in here and then ran out. It's like she didn't want anyone to see her." Aang's stomach couldn't process this and ran out of the shop without the necklace before all of the onlookers saw him cry. As he ran out, the owner shrugged as she turned to the other clerk, who asked the owner, "Do you think he knows that girl?" The owner responded, "Doubtful. That girl couldn't have been more than 10."

Aang used airbending to quickly run to an alleyway so he wouldn't be stopped by anyone. Left alone with his thoughts in the grimey alleyway, he began to whimper. His thoughts came through in jumbled waves.

"Could she really do this?"

"I know she was mad that I was leaving again so soon."

"What if she regrets marrying me?"

"We don't see each other as much anymore."

"Why?"

He was still far from fine but his need to escape became too great. He quickly traveled back to the Jasmine Dragon. Aang didn't want to confront Katara, but he knew he needed to at least check on her. Returning to the shop, he found a half empty dining room but a smiling Iroh at the counter. Relieved that Katara wasn't there so he could prepare for the unavoidable, he walked over to Iroh to ask about Katara.

"Good evening, Aang, the usual?" Iroh smiled with a twinkle in his eye. The smile was short lived as he looked upon Aang's face. "Oh my, what's wrong?" The airbender's face was contorted into a hurt expression. After a few moments of trying to find the words, he spoke in a pained whisper, "Katara lost her betrothal necklace. I found it in a jewelry shop here but the owner said a girl brought it in to sell. The owner..said the girl who found it said it didn't mean anything to her. I know it might be stupid but I just can't face Katara right now. Things have been tense lately."

Iroh's face turned to pensive as he placed a hand on Aang's shoulder, "Hmmm, that is a difficult situation. I find that sometimes it's a good idea to clear one's head before having a hard discussion. You want to be calm and objective when talking. Try taking a short trip alone. It will give you a chance to see things in a different light." Aang nodded and spoke, "Iroh, I think that's a great idea. Can you tell me where I can find Katara?"

Aang followed Iroh's instruction to meet Katara on the balcony of the Jasmine Dragon. His heart felt heavy as he remembered all of the great memories they made together right here on this balcony. Now, he wasn't sure if those memories would be the last they made together. Aang felt guilty thinking over their relationship the past few months as he walked onto the balcony. Every time he was home long enough to be cornered by Katara, he avoided confronting their issues by either changing the subject or just agreeing to what she said without offering a solution.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, trying to appear unencumbered. She smiled as she leaned onto the railing, "I'm okay. Any luck?" Aang wanted to say yes, but that would open up a lot of questions he wasn't ready to have answered. He shook his head, feeling the guilt of Katara's head hanging glumly. "Oh, I'm sorry. Thank you for going out to look." He smiled weakly before coaxing Katara to Appa and flying home to Air Temple Island. As he watched his wife fall asleep, he wrote a note for her on her bed stand before taking off into the sky on Appa.

Dear Katara,

I didn't want to wake you, so I'm writing this note. I was urgently needed at the Northern Water Tribe. I'm hoping to resolve it quickly so I can return to you. I will write to you with more details but for now I must go.

I'm sorry. We will talk when I return.

I love you,

Aang


	2. The Iceberg

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aang travels to the South Pole

The soft, light landed on Katara's eyes, prompting her to wake up. She stretched and yawned before opening her eyes, excited to wake up next to Aang for the first time in over a week. Disappointment washed over her as she noticed the empty space next to her in their bed. Turning her body to stand up, she frowned at a letter on her night stand addressed to "Katara" in Aang's handwriting. She furiously opened the letter only for her heart sink after reading its contents. "Great, here for barely one day and leaving me again," she said aloud to no one.

Katara shuffled her feet noisily across the bedroom until she was in their kitchen. She quietly made a cup of tea and sat down at the low, wooden table. Pensive as she began to drink from the cup, a curious question popped into her head. "Are you mad that he left or that you can't be out there with him?" She didn't have an answer for that. "More tea," she thought. After two cups of tea, the answer to this nagging question still hadn't been located. Thinking over their time together traveling, she realized the fighting between the two of them began to happen more after she had to stop traveling with him as much.

After getting married, Katara took a position as a healer in Republic City, since the population began to grow immensely after the much needed name change. Katara grimaced at the name "Cranefish Town" before returning to the current thoughts in her mind. Even though she was Water Tribe, she had always felt the need for exploration and travel much like an air nomad. Katara became tired of thinking on this topic that didn't have a solution at the moment. She felt satisfied in knowing why she was feeling angry whenever Aang left. Now all she needed was for him to come back so they could discuss it, if he would ever allow himself to be involved with a confrontation.

The sun had rose to clear away the darkness of the night as Aang rubbed his eyes after his slumber. The airbender had slept next to Appa all night, almost making Aang forget why he had left. He stood up on the snowy ground, remembering that he was now in the South Pole. Aang chided himself for running away like he always does, but he couldn't face the possibility that the love of his life didn't love him anymore. He fed Appa and began to walk into the newly industrial village of the Southern Water Tribe. After finding an area for Appa to stay, Aang began to walk through the different shops before a family approached him.

A child with chubby cheeks ran up to him, much to the chagrin of the little boy's parents. "Hi, Avatar Aang!", the boy said with much excitement as he was at Aang's feet. The boy's personality, big, blue eyes and olive skin reminded him of Katara, causing his face to frown slightly at remembering what brought him here. The boy's parents caught sight of his frown and grew angry with embarrassment over their son. "We're so sorry, Avatar Aang! Our son loves to hear stories about you and your friends, he just became too excited. We'll leave you alone," the boy's mom emphasized with an annoyed look at her son.

Aang smiled and chuckled much to the confusion of the boy's parents. "Please, it's just Aang. And, well, it's no bother at all. I just have a lot on my mind, but you and your son have brought a smile back to my face." Before the parents could talk, the same little boy looked up to Aang and blurted out whilst tugging on Aang's robes, "Where's Master Katara? Isn't she always with you?" Aang smiled weakly at the boy, ignoring the pain in his chest from hearing her name. "Not today, no. It's just me I'm afraid." The boy's dad chimed in, "I'm so sorry, Av...Aang, our son, Katak, his favorite stories of your travels are the ones about Master Katara and Sokka. I'm Iqluk and this is my wife, Quissa. We're heading home, please allow us to prepare you something to eat for your trouble." Aang shook his head, refusing to have them make him food but took up the man's offer to join them in their home.

Inside the house made of ice, the family and Aang sat at a round table in the living room. Quissa prepared tea and handed a cup to Aang, as well as noodles for her son. The topic of Katara came back around, much to Aang's dismay. Katak slurped his noodles and asked, "Is it true Master Katara freed you from an iceberg?" Aang's frown began to turn to a smile at the happy memory that entered his mind. For something that only happened eight years ago, Aang was surprised when he noticed how infrequently he thought of that time. He told the boy, "Yes, I'm sure you've heard the story hundreds of times." The little boy shook his head, "Not really. I just know that she found you and then you began to travel the world, but that's it." Aang began to grin at the prospect that he could tell his side of the story to this family.

"Well, as you probably know, I was trapped in a storm 108 years ago. I was just a kid, but a new airbending master, the youngest in history. But, when I was out there fighting to survive in the storm with Appa, I unknowingly triggered the Avatar State, causing us to be protected in a ball of air. It froze into an iceberg because of the cold climate here. 100 years later, Katara and Sokka were on a fishing trip and thanks to Sokka arguing with her, Katara got mad and cracked the iceberg where I was encapsulated," his smile grew wider, "How fateful that the only waterbender in the southern water tribe found me and freed me, all by accident. When I woke up, I was staring at the most beautiful girl in the world. Since that day, she's saved me too many times to count."

He laughed before quieting himself to resume his story, "She never gave up on me and defended me against Sokka, who at the time thought I was a spy for the Fire Nation." He paused to let the family laugh and continued when the laughing died down. "I didn't know it at the time, but I began flirting with her as soon as I saw her. The first thing I asked her after waking up after 100 years was 'Will you go penguin sledding with me?' She was so confused but eventually I got to go penguin sledding with her. To this day, it remains one of my favorite memories. We were both kids who had to grow up too fast because of the war. But, for those few hours, we got to play and forget about the daunting realities we had to face."

The family sat at the table in comfortable silence. Aang's eyes were shiny with tears as thoughts on the war and what was lost raced through his mind. He was somehow even more appreciative of their time as kids at this very moment. The innocence that was lost so that the world could be saved. He shook his somber thoughts away and asked the family about themselves. Aang beamed when he found out that Katak is a waterbender and is being taught by Pakku at the moment. The family eagerly listened to Aang retelling the time he first met Pakku and the epic battle between Pakku and Katara.

In Aang's story, the little boy remembered a name he had not heard before. "Who's Yue?" the Katak asked. Aang grinned, "She's one of the bravest people I have ever met. She was princess of the Northern Water Tribe with hair white as snow. She helped us defeat the Fire Nation by sacrificing herself and returning to the spirit world as the moon spirit. During that battle, I had spent most of my time in the spirit world. Unfortunately, my body was moved by Zuko but the terrible storm prevented him from capturing me," he winked at the little boy, "Don't worry, Zuko and I are great friends now. Back in the battle, Katara kept watch over my body while I entered the spirit world and even came to find me after Zuko kidnapped me in the blizzard. Another time she saved me and because of that, she helped save the people of the Northern Water Tribe.

As the airbender said goodbye to the family, he promised to return soon and introduce the family to Katara and Sokka on his next visit. Aang decided to make his way to Appa to begin his next stop. He was aware that his previous feelings of sadness were no longer present, but instead were replaced with confusion. "Katara has never lost faith in me before, how could she now? Is that even possible?" he asked himself. He wondered if confiding in someone who knew her well might help him solve this mystery. He brushed and fed Appa before bounding up onto the great sky bison's head. "You ready, buddy?" he asked Appa before they took off into the crisp, sunny sky, setting course for Omashu.


	3. The Cave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aang travels to Omashu and Ba Sing Se. Suki and Sokka come to visit Katara.

The soft, light landed on Katara's eyes, prompting her to wake up. She stretched and yawned before opening her eyes, excited to wake up next to Aang for the first time in over a week. Disappointment washed over her as she noticed the empty space next to her in their bed. Turning her body to stand up, she frowned at a letter on her night stand addressed to "Katara" in Aang's handwriting. She furiously opened the letter only for her heart sink after reading its contents. "Great, here for barely one day and leaving me again," she said aloud to no one.

Katara shuffled her feet noisily across the bedroom until she was in their kitchen. She quietly made a cup of tea and sat down at the low, wooden table. Pensive as she began to drink from the cup, a curious question popped into her head. "Are you mad that he left or that you can't be out there with him?" She didn't have an answer for that. "More tea," she thought. After two cups of tea, the answer to this nagging question still hadn't been located. Thinking over their time together traveling, she realized the fighting between the two of them began to happen more after she had to stop traveling with him as much.

After getting married, Katara took a position as a healer in Republic City, since the population began to grow immensely after the much needed name change. Katara grimaced at the name "Cranefish Town" before returning to the current thoughts in her mind. Even though she was Water Tribe, she had always felt the need for exploration and travel much like an air nomad. Katara became tired of thinking on this topic that didn't have a solution at the moment. She felt satisfied in knowing why she was feeling angry whenever Aang left. Now all she needed was for him to come back so they could discuss it, if he would ever allow himself to be involved with a confrontation.

The sun had rose to clear away the darkness of the night as Aang rubbed his eyes after his slumber. The airbender had slept next to Appa all night, almost making Aang forget why he had left. He stood up on the snowy ground, remembering that he was now in the South Pole. Aang chided himself for running away like he always does, but he couldn't face the possibility that the love of his life didn't love him anymore. He fed Appa and began to walk into the newly industrial village of the Southern Water Tribe. After finding an area for Appa to stay, Aang began to walk through the different shops before a family approached him.

A child with chubby cheeks ran up to him, much to the chagrin of the little boy's parents. "Hi, Avatar Aang!", the boy said with much excitement as he was at Aang's feet. The boy's personality, big, blue eyes and olive skin reminded him of Katara, causing his face to frown slightly at remembering what brought him here. The boy's parents caught sight of his frown and grew angry with embarrassment over their son. "We're so sorry, Avatar Aang! Our son loves to hear stories about you and your friends, he just became too excited. We'll leave you alone," the boy's mom emphasized with an annoyed look at her son.

Aang smiled and chuckled much to the confusion of the boy's parents. "Please, it's just Aang. And, well, it's no bother at all. I just have a lot on my mind, but you and your son have brought a smile back to my face." Before the parents could talk, the same little boy looked up to Aang and blurted out whilst tugging on Aang's robes, "Where's Master Katara? Isn't she always with you?" Aang smiled weakly at the boy, ignoring the pain in his chest from hearing her name. "Not today, no. It's just me I'm afraid." The boy's dad chimed in, "I'm so sorry, Av...Aang, our son, Katak, his favorite stories of your travels are the ones about Master Katara and Sokka. I'm Iqluk and this is my wife, Quissa. We're heading home, please allow us to prepare you something to eat for your trouble." Aang shook his head, refusing to have them make him food but took up the man's offer to join them in their home.

Inside the house made of ice, the family and Aang sat at a round table in the living room. Quissa prepared tea and handed a cup to Aang, as well as noodles for her son. The topic of Katara came back around, much to Aang's dismay. Katak slurped his noodles and asked, "Is it true Master Katara freed you from an iceberg?" Aang's frown began to turn to a smile at the happy memory that entered his mind. For something that only happened eight years ago, Aang was surprised when he noticed how infrequently he thought of that time. He told the boy, "Yes, I'm sure you've heard the story hundreds of times." The little boy shook his head, "Not really. I just know that she found you and then you began to travel the world, but that's it." Aang began to grin at the prospect that he could tell his side of the story to this family.

"Well, as you probably know, I was trapped in a storm 108 years ago. I was just a kid, but a new airbending master, the youngest in history. But, when I was out there fighting to survive in the storm with Appa, I unknowingly triggered the Avatar State, causing us to be protected in a ball of air. It froze into an iceberg because of the cold climate here. 100 years later, Katara and Sokka were on a fishing trip and thanks to Sokka arguing with her, Katara got mad and cracked the iceberg where I was encapsulated," his smile grew wider, "How fateful that the only waterbender in the southern water tribe found me and freed me, all by accident. When I woke up, I was staring at the most beautiful girl in the world. Since that day, she's saved me too many times to count."

He laughed before quieting himself to resume his story, "She never gave up on me and defended me against Sokka, who at the time thought I was a spy for the Fire Nation." He paused to let the family laugh and continued when the laughing died down. "I didn't know it at the time, but I began flirting with her as soon as I saw her. The first thing I asked her after waking up after 100 years was 'Will you go penguin sledding with me?' She was so confused but eventually I got to go penguin sledding with her. To this day, it remains one of my favorite memories. We were both kids who had to grow up too fast because of the war. But, for those few hours, we got to play and forget about the daunting realities we had to face."

The family sat at the table in comfortable silence. Aang's eyes were shiny with tears as thoughts on the war and what was lost raced through his mind. He was somehow even more appreciative of their time as kids at this very moment. The innocence that was lost so that the world could be saved. He shook his somber thoughts away and asked the family about themselves. Aang beamed when he found out that Katak is a waterbender and is being taught by Pakku at the moment. The family eagerly listened to Aang retelling the time he first met Pakku and the epic battle between Pakku and Katara.

In Aang's story, the little boy remembered a name he had not heard before. "Who's Yue?" the Katak asked. Aang grinned, "She's one of the bravest people I have ever met. She was princess of the Northern Water Tribe with hair white as snow. She helped us defeat the Fire Nation by sacrificing herself and returning to the spirit world as the moon spirit. During that battle, I had spent most of my time in the spirit world. Unfortunately, my body was moved by Zuko but the terrible storm prevented him from capturing me," he winked at the little boy, "Don't worry, Zuko and I are great friends now. Back in the battle, Katara kept watch over my body while I entered the spirit world and even came to find me after Zuko kidnapped me in the blizzard. Another time she saved me and because of that, she helped save the people of the Northern Water Tribe.

As the airbender said goodbye to the family, he promised to return soon and introduce the family to Katara and Sokka on his next visit. Aang decided to make his way to Appa to begin his next stop. He was aware that his previous feelings of sadness were no longer present, but instead were replaced with confusion. "Katara has never lost faith in me before, how could she now? Is that even possible?" he asked himself. He wondered if confiding in someone who knew her well might help him solve this mystery. He brushed and fed Appa before bounding up onto the great sky bison's head. "You ready, buddy?" he asked Appa before they took off into the crisp, sunny sky, setting course for Omashu.


	4. The Dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aang visits the Fire Nation

Long, orange robes rumbled in the wind as Aang rapidly walked through the streets of the Fire Nation. He furiously ran from merchant to merchant, looking through their wares trying to find a stone for Katara's new necklace. Finally, Aang settles upon a stall in the heart of the town square. After wading through all of the red and black gems, he found a lone, round moonstone at the bottom of the pile. It was rough, but Aang didn't mind having to smooth it down. As he turned it over in his hands, he felt the valleys and peaks of the stone. He liked the light, almost translucent color of the gem. The color of the moonstone was blue but almost resembled ice. It had an airy feel to it and he knew this was the one. As he paid the merchant, who gave in after objecting to taking money from the Avatar several times, Aang turned quickly on his heel to be met with an old friend.

"Aang? Or should I say 'Kuzon'?"

The words uttered were followed with a giggle from a now slightly taller but all too familiar On Ji. Aang's eyes widened at his old friend from his short enrollment at Fire Nation school. Surprisingly, he had not seen her in eight years. It felt more awkward now because he never got a chance to explain to her who he really was. Now, she had clearly figured out, but that didn't stop Aang from sweating with embarrassment.

"Oh! Hey On Ji, long time no see. Sorry about not say-"

On Ji giggled with a grin, "Aang, you don't have to apologize. If I were you, I would have stayed hidden, too. I'm just glad it all worked out and you helped bring peace back. I'm still so ashamed of everything my people did to your people and other people of the world. You're so brave and I wanted to say thanks."

Aang smiled with a tint of red on his cheeks. His blush didn't last long as his eyes began to travel from her face to her protruding belly. He didn't want to ask if she was pregnant, knowing from Katara that you never ask a woman this. He rubbed his neck nervously, still feeling exposed and vulnerable, "Well, no need to thank me, it's what I do, but thank you for sharing. So, how have you been? Are you still with Hide?"

On Ji rolled her eyes and laughed, "Oh, goodness, no! I haven't thought about him in years. We broke up when we finished school. I just got married a few months back, his name's Kenji. He's so nice and really funny, too. You would get along, I think. We're expecting our first child in two months actually."

Aang beamed, excited for his friend but also relieved she wasn't with Hide anymore, "That's great, On Ji! I've been married for two years, too. Do you remember Katara?"

On Ji giggled again, "Oh, yes, the girl you danced with in the cave? I've seen her a few times since you've gotten married. She's beautiful. I wondered if there was something between you all those years ago and it turns out I was right!"

The two friends laughed and filled each other in on what they had been up to since the end of the war. After the talking died down, On Ji sighed contentedly, "Well, Aang, I must be getting back home to make dinner. It really was great to see you again and I'm so proud to have known you back then, even if you were undercover. You really changed things in all of our lives for the better. I don't know what your plans are but I'd love to have you for dinner tonight." Aang turned this proposition over in his mind. While he would love to meet her husband and get to know each other more, he had a task to accomplish. "On Ji, thank you for your offer, but unfortunately I have business with Fire Lord Zuko and I must be on my away. Maybe another time?" he asked with a smile. On Ji smiled and nodded, "Absolutely, mustn't keep the Fire Lord waiting." On Ji left after a small bow, leaving Aang with his thoughts on a walk back to Appa.

Aang walked through the crowded streets with a grin on his face. He thought fondly of his time at the Fire Nation school. Being treated like a normal kid with normal problems would always be a loving memory of his. Aang chuckled when he was sent to the principal's office. All of those years ago, he would have given anything to trade places with any of the kids in that school. Now, he doesn't wallow in regret or what-ifs anymore. He knows he was destined to be the Avatar and bring peace, which he has been successful at so far. Aang was also keenly aware of how being the Avatar is one of the reasons Katara was brought into his life. His mind began to flashback to their cave dance party.

"Listen guys, those kids at school are the future of the Fire Nation. If we want to change this place for the better, we need to show them a little taste of freedom," Aang proudly stated. He was surprised his enthusiasm was met with resistance from the Sokka. "What could you possibly do for a country of depraved little fire monsters?" Sokka questioned incredulously. Aang thought for a moment but then had a brilliant idea. "I'm gonna throw them," he paused to slap his knees in a quick jig, "a secret dance party!" Sokka yelled at Aang in that ridiculous Wang Fire voice, "Go to your room!" Aang was determined to get him on his side, which Sokka eventually came around to after Toph and Katara vocalized their support for the dance.

After preparations for the party were complete, Toph warned the group to stop bending as she sensed the other kids walking in. Once the other children filtered into the cave, Aang's face turned from excited to confused as they all just stood there. He decided to show his classmates dance moves he had learned at ballrooms over 100 years ago. Slowly, the kids started to nod but none of them danced. This is when he went over to On Ji to see if she danced with him, then the other kids might follow. She followed his direction, moving in time with him. Shortly after, On Ji's friend began to dance and eventually more kids started dancing.

Proud of his skills and motivation, he turned his body to a table where Katara was sitting. She looked bored, or mad, he wasn't quite sure. His heart thumped in his chest at how beautiful she was. He hesitated telling her his feelings before leaving for Guru Pathik months ago, which he chided himself for now. If he wasn't brought back, he would've died without her knowing how he felt. Things needed to be different, Aang thought. He needed to be bold, and even if she rejects him, at least she will know.

Aang walked over to Katara, feeling a little sweaty but full of adrenaline. He leaned over and offered her his hand. His heart continued to race as she looked away nervously. Aang smiled at her reaction, noting how it wasn't an instant rejection. The stammering and excuses while she tugged at her hair made him find her more attractive. He wanted to dance with her so he tried again, "Take my hand." She finally smiled as she said, "okay".

Aang attempted to ignore the racing of his heart and blood through his body at Katara holding his hand. Once they made it to the dance floor, he whispered into her ear, telling her to follow his lead and pretend that they were practicing waterbending. Aang noticed Katara getting startled at everyone watching, but he wouldn't let her feel uncomfortable. He didn't overthink it, just blurted out, "It's just you and me right now." Her eyes gazed at him, half-lidded, making him feel warm and fuzzy all over. She blushed, prompting his heart to leap. They continued to dance, jump, and swirl together in perfect harmony as the invigorating music played.

As the music ended, Aang took a chance. He breathed deep and without an opportunity to lose his nerve, he grabbed Katara's waist and dipped her. Their chests heaved in unison as applause could be heard surrounding them. Aang thought about kissing her briefly in this moment but the music became uptempo and Katara released herself from his arms. His hope of her liking him back ncreased dramatically after their tango. They could really be together if fates allowed.

Aang's mind was on autopilot as he remembered their dance, totally not aware of finding Appa and flying in the air. His thoughts snapped back to the present as he began to descend on to the Fire Nation Palace grounds. His smile faltered at the memory of their time as kids in the Fire Nation. His heart ached to go back, but knew it was fruitless, deciding instead to forge ahead. Rather than wanting to stay in the past, he started to think of ways to make new memories between himself and Katara. He wished that making this necklace could be the start of that.

After a cluster of servants gathered around Aang as he landed, they walked him to meet with Zuko in his office. Aang resisted the formal policies like this one many years ago, but had realized that this was a safety measure to prevent anyone having access to Zuko. Everyone knew Aang was not a threat, but he respected their rules anyway.

"Hello, Fire Lord Hotman," Aang bowed with a grin on his face. Zuko stood in the doorway of his office, annoyed. "Ugh, when will you stop calming me that?" he asked as he led Aang into his office. The airbender, now taller than his friend, smirked, "Never!" Zuko groaned as he gestured for Aang to sit down. He had received his letter yesterday asking for a place to stay for some "important business." The curiosity was apparent on his face, "So, not that I'm not happy to see you, but what's this about? You can't do your business at home?"

Aang frowned as he began to tell the events of the past two weeks to Zuko. He mentioned the betrayal he felt when he thought Katara sold the necklace, and Toph's reaction to his mistake. "I don't say this often, but I agree with Toph," he chuckled, "Katara would never do that. I saw her the day before you returned for the meeting in Ba Sing Se. She looked really upset, like something was on her mind. And in classic Katara fashion, she didn't want to talk about it. If she really did sell your necklace, I don't think she would like so torn up about it. I don't think I've seen her look like that ever."

A few moments of silence hung in the air as Aang tried to push away his guilt and stupidity for overreacting. He was always so worried that Katara would reject him, like he thought she did all of those years ago, that he didn't see that she never could. He wasn't being fair to her and needed to make this right. "Yeah, I know now that she wouldn't sell it and I feel terrible. So, I got a new stone and want to make a new betrothal necklace for her. I know you have jewelers here, I was hoping I could borrow their tools." Zuko smiled widely, "Of course you can! Anything you need."

After receiving directions by Zuko, Aang excitedly ran to the jeweler in the palace. Upon entering the room, his eyes widened at all of the tools, machines, ribbons, and stones strewn about. When Aang first made the necklace, he had help from Hakoda and made it in a snowy hut in the South Pole. How different it had felt for Aang to be making it in the Fire Nation, once a culture that had negative impacts on both his and Katara's races. That loss, compounded with the failure of the invasion, were not memories he wished to relive in his life. Shaking his thoughts away, he focused on the heavy set man in an apron smiling in the room.

"Good afternoon, Avatar Aang! What can I help you with?" the man smiled warmly. "Please, it's just Aang, and I would like to smooth this stone out...for a necklace. Is that possible?" The jeweler lightly chuckled, "Absolutely. If you have the stone, I can smooth it and make the necklace for you. Should be ready by the morning." Aang shook his head, "Uh, actually I was hoping to borrow tools to make it myself? It's a betrothal necklace and the tradition is that the man makes it on his own. The process represents the devotion and hard work needed in a marriage." Aang's face frowned slightly realizing how he had been shirking his marriage duties. The man ignored his frown and answered happily, "Oh, of course! I have some sand paper here for the stone and some ribbon and tools to bring it together. I'll just give you some simple instructions, if that's okay." Aang beamed as the jeweler taught him how to use the tools and smooth the stone. As he headed back to his bedroom Zuko provided, he told himself to remember to mention the jeweler's generous help to Zuko.

Back in his room, Aang sat on the bed, sweat forming on his brow. He vigorously, yet delicately, smoothed the rough edges of the stone away. After what had felt like hours, the moonstone was polished and smooth in between his fingertips. Carefully holding a stencil in his hand, he marked the stone with an air symbol intertwined with a water symbol. Flipping the stone around to the blank side, Aang had an idea of something new for the necklace. He didn't want this necklace to be exactly the same as before because they were not the same people when he proposed.

Thinking briefly of his insomnia before the invasion, the image entered his mind of the dream he had wherein he was professing his love to Katara. A year after they had been dating, Aang told this dream in all embarrassing detail to Katara. He was relieved when she laughed and said it was "cute". Since that day, he would call her his "Forever Girl" and she would smile and blush in return. Aang's stomach turned when he realized he had not called her that in over a year. Brows furrowed in determination, he carefully engraved the words "My Forever Girl" on the back of the stone. Holding it between his thumb and forefinger, he smiled to admire his work. The sun began to set as he finished attaching the silky ribbon to the stone. He went to bed that night without hunger for food. All he needed to sustain him was the thought of holding Katara again. The buzz throughout his body led to limited, nervous sleep.

Rising with the sun, Aang meditated at the foot of his bed before packing the necklace and the rest of his belongings. He was hoping to make a quick early exit after closing the bedroom door, but forgot that Zuko wakes up early as well. "Monkeyfeathers,"Aang said quietly to himself as he saw Zuko walking down the large hallway. The Fire Lord's red robes approached Aang quickly. "Leaving so soon, Aang?" The airbender rolled his eyes and sighed, "Yes, I'd like to be home before nighttime so I can see Katara." His eyes narrowed, "Why, did you need something?"

Zuko beamed, which made Aang shift uncomfortably as his friend almost never smiled this wide. "Oh, just wanted to personally tell you before the formal announcement is made that Mai is pregnant. 3 months pregnant, to be exact." Aang's enthusiasm matched Zuko's in a wide smile, "Zuko! That's great!" The airbender pulled his friend into a tight hug, only letting go after hearing, "Need...air…" Aang pulled back, eyes shiny with tears. The first member of Team Avatar to start a family was Zuko, much to Aang's surprise. Zuko and Mai didn't talk much about their relationship, but everyone knew they loved and cared for each other. The swell of Aang's heart in the moment was partly because of his happiness for his two best friends but also because he realized he wanted a family of his own. He hoped it would still be possible.

Aang wanted to say goodbye to Mai, but Zuko informed him that she has been very sick during the pregnancy. He hugged his friend goodbye, tears still forming in his eyes, grateful for this moment. "You're going to be a great father, Zuko. And Mai will be a wonderful mother. Write to us anytime, I'm sure Katara would love to help out if Mai needs it. Oh, also, your jeweler you sent me to was a great help, please reward him accordingly," he said as he pulled away. The two friends waved goodbye as Aang sprinted to Appa. His optimism for the future could not be dampened by the awkward, painful conversation that lied ahead. "Yip yip!" he bellowed as the sky bison flew high into the air.

In Republic City, a familiar rumble and growl in the distance made Katara's stomach flip. She smiled as she finished drying off plates in the kitchen. Softly whispering to herself, she uttered, "Aang." Sokka also recognized the sounds of this sky bison, but his reaction was less happy. Rising to his feet and running to the front door, he swung the door open. Sokka stood on the grass in front of Aang and Katara's home, face twisted in a scowl as he eyed his brother-in-law in the sky. Appa landed and Aang's face quickly turned to fear. He bounded off the sky bison as he gracefully touched down on the earth. Sokka charged at him, the same way he did when Aang burned Katara accidentally. The airbender held his hands up and waved them around in defeat, "Sokka, I-" His brother-in-law poked his chest forcefully and spoke through clenched teeth so as not to draw attention from his sister or his wife, "You've got some explaining to do!"


	5. The Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aang returns to Katara.

Sokka's finger pressing into Aang's chest was startling and slightly painful, but not unwarranted. Some naive part of Aang had held out hope that things would be smoothed over fairly easily. He had forgotten that his relationship with Katara was always intertwined with Sokka, even before they started dating. When he accidentally burned her when he learned firebending, Sokka had reacted almost in the same way he was acting now. While Aang had not physically injured Katara this time, he couldn't help but feel the same amount of remorse and guilt. His cowardice and avoidance had hurt her emotionally. He needed to face the consequences of his action, or rather, inaction.

"Sokka, I'm so sorry and yes, I will explain if you let me," Aang breathlessly explained. Sokka's face was still twisted in a scowl, "Don't explain to me, explain to Katara. I told you to never hurt her and this is pretty the most in pain I've seen her. Make things right." Sokka jabbed Aang one last time in his chest as if to make the point salient before turning his back and walking away. The airbender was left standing in their front yard, consumed with fear. If Sokka had acted like that, he was worried how Katara would respond.

As Aang stepped through the front door, his worries were wiped away by confusion. Katara was calmly walking towards him in the living room, an unreadable expression on her face. Aang didn't know whether to be relieved or terrified. He whispered, "Katara..I-'' Katara's luminous blue eyes met his grey eyes, stopping his words immediately. She spoke softly as she grabbed his wrist, "Not here." She quietly led him to their bedroom and closed the door behind her. The couple both sat on opposite ends of the bed, looking away from each other for a few moments.

"Katara, I need to apologize for leaving..and for everything else. I know that you've wanted to talk and you've tried so hard, but I let you down. I was a jerk for thinking I could avoid talking about the difficult stuff. But I'm here now, and I'm ready to talk." Aang glumly looked over to Katara, who was still facing away from him. Their positions on the bed reminded him of their last fight.

Katara sat on the corner of the bed, arms folded across her chest. "Aang, we need to talk about this. You're the last airbender but I'm your wife, so this decision affects me, too. I know the council wants you to have a lot of children to increase the likelihood of more airbenders. That can be a lot of pressure, but we do need to talk about it. Do you...agree with them?" Aang huffed and stood up from the bed, pacing around the room. Folding his arms across his chest, Aang stared out of the window. "Katara, I can't talk about this right now. We're still suppressing uprisings, we're still young, and I've got more and more Avatar duties every day. I need to go feed, Appa, I'll be back."

Katara stood up, now red in the face. Her fists balled tightly as she began to yell, "Oh, no! You don't get to walk away from this. Don't you think I want children? That I want a family? I'm nearly 22 years-old. I need to know what the future will be like. But we need to make this decision together. You get to fly away until things resolve on their own, but this is never going to go away. We both have responsibilities and we need to discuss this!" Aang's brow furrowed as he snapped his head around to face Katara, "I'm not talking about this with you! You can't corner me like this. I'll be back". Aang ran out of the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. He immediately regretted slamming the door, but he couldn't deal with this right now. He walked outside to feed Appa, hoping he could apologize when he cooled off.

Aang silently groaned at the memory he had tried hard to desperately forget. In a glimmer of hope, Katara scooted across the bed until she was a few inches away from Aang. She remained quiet to give Aang the breadth to continue his line of thinking. "Okay, again I wanted to say sorry for walking out and also for our last fight. I was being a jerk. I know I run away when responsibilities are put on me. I did it when I found out I was the Avatar and then I did it when the Council kept pressuring me to repopulate the Air Nomads. I do want a family, and kids with you, if you still want me. I think I was scared. Scared of what happens if we don't have any airbenders, I don't want you to feel like you need to carry that burden. I hoped the Council would forget but it seems like they will just keep asking. And if we do have a child that's an airbender, I'm supposed to be the one to teach them all of the cultural traditions, be their master, and be the Avatar? I was scared of all of that. But that's not fair to you, I love you."

Aang let go of a breath he didn't know he was holding. His brows raised in surprise at Katara interlacing her fingers with his. His heart fluttered in this moment. He hadn't ruined things, not completely. This could still me mended.

Katara smiled faintly, "I love you, too. Thank you for finally letting me in, Aang. I thought I was going crazy for a bit. You know, after that last fight, where you slammed the door, I cried so much. When you came back in later that night, I pretended I was asleep so you didn't have to see me. I didn't realize at the time but I was depressed. Not just because of our fights, but because I was unhappy staying in one place all of the time." She laughed with Aang briefly at this statement. Katara continued, "Pretty ironic, huh? I was getting so mad at you for leaving all of the time, but some of that anger was jealousy. I wanted to be able to travel and leave whenever I wanted."

Aang's face changed into confusion, "You were? I had no idea. Katara, you decided to work at the hospital and when you told me about it, I thought it was something you wanted. I would've brought you along on our trips if I thought you wanted to go." Katara shook her head, "No, Aang, I didn't even realize that is what I wanted so you offering to take me along wouldn't have helped. I was worried that I would only be known as The Avatar's Wife or The Avatar's Waterbending Master. Seeing Zuko, Toph, Suki, and Sokka all have careers and paths made me a little sad. What's my thing? I knew I couldn't travel with you forever."

Aang cupped Katara's cheek with his hand, "Katara...nobody would ever think that. You're so much more than my wife or my master. You're the greatest waterbender and healer in the world. You've got a hospital that was barely functioning to run smoothly all by yourself. You fought Azula and won! I don't think many people can say that. Your legacy will be about your heroics more so than your relationship with me, I promise." He smiled, prompting Katara to smile genuinely. "Well, that's good to know. We can talk about traveling more tomorrow," Katara stated before asking, "I'm really sorry about the necklace and not telling you sooner. I thought things might be over between us after that last fight. You left the next day and then the necklace was missing. I thought..."

Aang squeezed her hand tightly while shaking his head, "No, I don't care that you lost it. But I do have to be honest. I was upset because when I looked for the necklace in Ba Sing Se, I did find it. The shop owner told me some girl came in to sell it, not caring about the worthiness of it. I impulsively ran out, thinking that you had sold it. I later found out that was not true, but I think I thought you could because I saw the way our marriage was crumbling. I wasn't sure...if you still wanted me." Aang sobbed as he hung his head in shame. Katara reached over and raised his chin with her forefinger to meet his eyes with hers.

"Of course I still want you, Aang. It's always been you, since you first asked me to go penguin sledding. I think we just both made some mistakes. It's not fair that the world keeps asking us to take on these impossible tasks at such a young age. You've had to endure so much and it hurts that I can't ease that burden at all. We just need to communicate. I tell you what I'm feeling and you do the same, no matter how much we think it might hurt. I will always be there for you." She leaned in to kiss his lips that were wet with tears. The gentleness of the kiss calmed Aang down. His breathing slowed and instantly remembered the jewelry in his robe pocket.

Aang broke away from this kiss, staring into her blue eyes. "Katara, I do have something to ask you." He reached into his robes, pulling out the new betrothal necklace he had made for her. "I've been taking the steps to fix my mistakes, and I hope you will continue on this journey with me. Katara, will you marry me?" His crooked smile made her laugh as tears filled her eyes. She blinked and tears rolled down her cheeks. "Yes, Aang. I want to be married to you every day for the rest of my life." She rubbed her nose against his, easing the tension in his body. He pulled away excitedly, "Look at the engraving." As he handed the necklace to her, her fingers smoothly rubbed the air and water symbols on the gemstone. "Aang, I can't believe you made another one! Is this moonstone?" He nodded happily. "Oh, I love it! It's so pretty, it reminds me of ice. Just like where I found you."

Aang had never considered that connection, but his heart swelled at hearing Katara's words. Because Katara was unaware of her feelings at first, and then confused for a few months after they first met, Aang always cherished hearing about the blooming of Katara's love for him. It reinforced what he had always known to be true, that they were meant to be.

Aang smiled before stating in a hushed voice, "Turn it over." Katara raised an eyebrow at Aang's quiet tone, but turned the necklace over in her hands and gasped. "'My Forever Girl'!, she laughed, "Oh, Aang, I can't believe you did all of this! It's so beautiful. I didn't like seeing you sleep deprived but that dream was really cute. Will you put it on me?" Aang nodded with a grin. He carefully took the silk straps into his hands, still sweaty like they were 4 years ago when he proposed. He chuckled as he clasped the necklace onto her neck, "To this day, that is still the best dream I have ever had. You're my forever girl." Katara giggled and blushed at hearing these words, just as she did when he told her about his dream 7 years ago. The couple embraced in a passionate kiss. Love had returned to them, never to be lost again.

The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, let me know what you think with a review!


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